And there is plenty of momentum to do so.

"There is not even a remote possibility that the board will stay with the same millage," Commissioner Adam Cummings said. "I'm just wondering if a gesture to that end may not be appropriate."

Collectively, the cuts would reduce the base 2007 property tax bill for the owner of a home with a $160,000 taxable value, and a $25,000 Save Our Homes exemption, by $64 from the 2006 base property tax bill.

The "$64 they are getting back doesn't seem much," Commission Chairman Tom Moore said. "Maybe it's more cynical than substance, but it does set the stage" for further millage rate cuts.

Commissioners are required to set the millage rate by mid-July for the upcoming fiscal year's budget, which goes into effect on Oct. 1.

While they cannot increase the rates set Tuesday, they can cut the millage further as budget deliberations proceed until the final hearing on Sept. 28.

Commissioners were presented a "series of reduction scenarios" that included decreases of 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 in the general fund millage, as well as a "rollback reduction" that fixed the county's forecast property tax revenues at 2006 levels.
All four scenarios included the 0.03 decrease in the public health and 0.35 decline in the public safety unit levies.

County Budget Director Ray Sandrock said if commissioners adopted a rollback reduction, it would "require cutting the budget to get back to a zero budget."

Sandrock said while the county's projected income has increased by $42 million -- $34 million for the general fund and $8 million for the capital improvement fund -- projected expenditures have increased by $18 million in general fund costs alone.

A 0.25 general fund millage reduction would save taxpayers $64 next year; a 0.5 cut, $100; and a 0.75 cut, about $133.

Commissioners Matt DeBoer and Tom D'Aprile unsuccessfully proposed cutting the general fund millage by 0.5, but were on the losing end of a 3-2 vote.

DeBoer said he favors reducing the general fund millage by 0.75 and even going to a rollback reduction.

DeBoer said voters several years ago approved a referendum that states the county can increase revenues only through inflation, growth-related fees, in response to state and federal mandates and to finance new facilities.

He said that referendum is a pact between constituents and commissioners, noting taxpayers have upheld their side of the deal by approving three sales-tax increases to finance projects.

This hike in revenues does not meet that criteria, DeBoer said, because it is financed by property tax revenues.

No matter how low the millage rate is decreased, revenues derived from increases in valuation represent a revenue boost that is "a pretty healthy increase for this organization," he said.

"We're talking about building up a savings account and everyone gets what they want for Christmas," DeBoer said, noting he has not had the time to review proposed increases in the budget.

"I cannot approve these increases in good conscience," he said.

Commissioner Sara Devos was the lone dissenter in the 4-1 vote to lower the countywide millage rate by 0.28 and the public safety unit rate by 0.35.

"Leave all things as they are," she said. "Consider all the unknowns until we have the total picture. If we reduce the millage -- and there's probably a good chance we will do that -- we need to be cognizant of the fact that valuations could go flat. If we decrease it too much this year and have to raise it again next year."

DeBoer said if circumstances dictate that millage rates must be increased next year because they were lowered this year, taxpayers would understand.

Whatever, D'Aprile said, "Come September, the millage rate is going down."

"I'm glad it's not September," Moore said, "but it will be here pretty soon."